Warriors: The New Forest-A New Light

Chapter 3

Darkpaw slowly got up and faced Snowpaw. He remembered his training from Raggeddrop, and had his claws out to face her.

Snowpaw got scared, and held her fresh-kill in her mouth as she tried to back away from Darkpaw. Every time she tired move away, Darkpaw will block her path. "What are you doing, passing DuskClan territory?" He growled. Even though he didn't want to fight her, he had to, to impress his mentor.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't know." Snowpaw muffled since the pigeon she caught was in her mouth. Snowpaw tried running off, but Darkpaw jumped in front of her showing his claws and making a growl. Snowpaw showed her claws as well, but even though if she could fight two things.

One, she had a piece of prey in her mouth, if she dropped it, it would end up being crowfood or a DuskClan warrior would come and steal it from her.

Two, she wasn't even given a lesson yet how to fight, and she didn't want her mentor or her sister to scold the apprentice for hurting her.

"StarClan help me." Snowpaw whispered. She then saw that Darkpaw wasn't fighting her and just glaring at her. When she moved, he blocked her path. That's all he was doing.

"Snowpaw!" Snowpaw's ears picked up when she heard her mentor, Littlestorm called out her name. Snowpaw looked around so she knew where to run, and she then heard her name again, and knew where to run.

Darkpaw sighed seeing she was gone, and he didn't have to fight her. "Thank StarClan," He whispered he was ready to go back to his clan, but Raggeddrop was in front of him, and he was not happy. Darkpaw gave a chuckle and stood up. "H-Hi Raggeddrop."

The tension between the two felt cold. Darkpaw then chuckled nervously in hopes of making his mentor to drop the tension, but the tension felt colder then before. Darkpaw then dropped his chuckling and looked down.

"I'm disappointed in you Darkpaw." Raggeddrop said. Darkpaw frowned knowing he was going to hear those words, sooner or later.

"I-I know, but I-I didn't want to fight her." Darkpaw said stuttering.

Raggeddrop looked at him for a few seconds and turned away walking back to the clan. "Let's go." He said his voice stern.

Darkpaw looked up and saw he didn't catch any prey, unlike the other apprentices. "B-But I-I didn't get to hunt." He then ran to his mentor.

"I said let's go." Raggeddrop growled showing his teeth, that scared the young apprentice. Darkpaw looked down and followed his mentor back to camp. Just like earlier, the tension still hasn't left the forest.

When they got back to camp Darkpaw looked down as he saw the other apprentices giving their prey to the elders and queens. His brother, and a tortoiseshell she-cat named Petalpaw, where giving their prey to a queen named, Spottedpool, who was soon expecting kits.

The two apprentices saw Darkpaw and went over to Darkpaw. "Hey Darkpaw!" Sparrowpaw said running towards his brother. The two saw he didn't have prey in his mouth, and wondered why. "Where's the prey you went to catch?"

Darkpaw looked at the two, and had to think of what to say in hopes of not getting his clan mates upset. "I-I failed to catch anything." He lied.

"Oh its okay." Petalpaw said giving a small lick on the cheek. "I'm sure you'll catch something next time." She said. Ever since he came here, Petalpaw was the most welcoming to him and his brother. Foxpaw and Birdpaw were welcoming as well, but Petalpaw; there was something about her that made Darkpaw feel comfortable.

"Y-Yeah." Darkpaw said he then sighed and went back to the apprentice den. "I'm just going to lie down for a bit." He went to the den, and lies down on his nest.

He looked down remembering the memories before joining the clan, and saw how much he missed it. He missed his mom and dad, and missed how his life was better before being a clan cat, even though everything went wrong at first.

He then heard rustling from the den, but didn't look up thinking it was his brother just checking up on him. However, the scent wasn't his brothers, and he also got the scent of a rabbit. He looked and saw, a silver and white she-cat, Moonshine, who was also Shadowstar's mate. "Moonshine?" Darkpaw asked seeing her.

"Hello, Darkpaw, Sparrowpaw told me of what happened, so here is a rabbit I caught just for you." She said as she pushed the rabbit toward him. Darkpaw looked at the rabbit and at her. When they first came to the clan, Moonshine took care of him and Sparrowpaw, she was their foster mother for the time being, and they were grateful for that.

"Thank you, Moonshine." Darkpaw said. He then took a bite of the rabbit and smiled enjoying the flavor and taste. He looked at Moonshine in hopes she would like to join him. "Want a bite?"

Moonshine smiled and shook her head. "No thank you, I already ate, but thank you for asking." She said smiling. Darkpaw smiled, and ate a bit of the rabbit. Once he was done he smiled.

"Thank you again." Darkpaw said. Moonshine put her tail around him, as he snuggled into her fur.

"Anytime." Moonshine said. Moonshine then turned around and saw Goldjaw walking towards Shadowstar and Raggeddrop. "Shadowstar. Goldjaw" The three cats looked at Moonshine as she made her way over.

"Yes, Moonshine." Shadowstar said going to his mate.

"I was wondering if Goldjaw set up the night patrol for tonight?" Moonshine asked.

"We were just discussing on that, so far its Shadowstar, Raggeddrop, and I." Goldjaw explained. "Though we are thinking of who else we could bring."

Moonshine smiled and looked at Darkpaw, who finally came out of the den, and Sparrowpaw play fighting like kits. Raggeddrop saw who Moonshine was thinking of and shook his head.

"Now, Moonshine, its up for the deputy to pick who he wants for tonight's patrol." Raggeddrop said. "And I don't think my apprentice is ready for that." Raggeddrop glared at his apprentice still having fun.

Goldjaw and Shadowstar looked at each other thinking if it's best for Darkpaw and Sparrowpaw to go on a night patrol. Shadowstar then smiled and nodded at Goldjaw and Moonshine, making her smile. "Alright they can join us." Goldjaw said. He went over to the apprentices to tell them the news.

Moonshine smiled at her mate and Raggeddrop who gave a small glare at her. The three saw the apprentices run over with a smile on their face. "Where going on a night patrol?!" Sparrowpaw asked.

"Yep." Shadowstar said.

"And besides I think both of you are ready, and are the only apprentices who never did a night patrol before." Goldjaw explained.

"Thanks Moonshine." Darkpaw said going over to her. Moonshine smiled and places her nose on Darkpaw's head. Oh how Darkpaw wished she was his mentor then Raggeddrop, I mean to him Raggeddrop will make him stronger, but he was to strict for his liking.

"Anytime." Moonshine said, he then looked at Raggeddrop. "It would be great for you, Raggeddrop." She said giving a small smirk.

Raggeddrop knew he couldn't do anything to her, since she was the mate of Shadowstar, but also she was a senior warrior now. "Fine, he can go." He said, making her smile. Moonshine along with Shadowstar and Goldjaw went to the den to discuss about the patrol tonight leaving Raggeddrop with the apprentices.

Darkpaw then looked at his mentor, and taking a deep breath he faced him. "I won't let you down this time." He said. Raggeddrop bowed his head, and walked away.